A Thousand and One Gestures Can't Capture Your Grace
by TaikoTurtle
Summary: College AU. Mulan plays soccer and Aurora is an artist. Seemingly two different worlds collide after an unfortunate accident. Eventual Sleeping Warrior.


Notes: Just a heads up, my laptop's trackpad is broken so updates may be slow. It's my first story in this fandom, so any feedback would be much appreciated!

**Chapter 1 – Heads Up!**

"Want to join the poetry club?"

"Come join our community service sorority!"

"Ever been interested in engineering or programming? Check us out!"

The raven-haired girl navigated her way through the sea of wide-eyed students with a surprising amount of methodical grace given her taller stature. It was the first week of the new school year, and already Mulan was being bombarded every which way by clubs handing out flyers in a mad frenzy to entice fresh blood to their groups. Typically she kept to herself in favor of quiet solitude away from the general masses, so with unfamiliar faces encroaching on her space everywhere she looked, an uncongenial scowl permanently took hold of her features causing a majority of the strangers to steer clear of her path lest they face her volatile wrath. She already had to stomach this insufferable routine for the past two years, and since she was only just going into her third year at Storybrooke University, otherwise known as SBU, it meant that she would eventually have one more year left to endure it.

A toned arm threw itself around her shoulders and the boyishly charming grin of Phillip came into view.

"Favorite time of the year again, yeah?"

The words rolled off his tongue in a silky manner laced with sarcasm in his trademarked heartthrob accent that so many women have fallen prey to before, though it just caused Mulan to conceal a grin as she rolled her eyes. No words could describe how much Phillip meant to her; they met as two young and optimistic children in grade school. A few larger unkempt bullies were hassling him, since he was smaller than most of the boys that age, and in a moment of spontaneous goodwill Mulan, in all of her tomboyish glory and unparalleled athleticism, strode over and managed to beat all three of them up in less than five minutes. Once the dust settled, she offered a dirt-ridden hand to the little sniffling boy and their friendship was born. Although if anybody asks, Phillip staunchly insists otherwise.

Together they've endured through thick and thin, from every horrible relationship breakup that made the world seem like it was coming to an end, to cramming studying time in all night for last minute forgotten tests or homework assignments. They had each other's backs, and more importantly they had each other. So when it was time to pick where to go after high school life was over, there was no hesitation in selecting a school when they both learned that they got into SBU. Phillip was offered a scholarship for soccer due to his impressive potential, and though Mulan was equally as skilled she also had impeccable grades and a mountain load of extracurriculars, which alone would have been grounds for acceptance. However when they actually made it to their first year, Mulan's parents wanted her to focus on studying rather than be distracted by a "silly sport," so Phillip was the only one who was able to continue doing what he loved most. Mulan attended most of his games and a few practices on occasion, but she missed the sport and fervently wanted to get back into it; whether it would be in secret or not, she refused to give it up.

"I hate clubs, and more importantly I dislike how pushy they can be. Do they not understand that if I do not make eye contact with them, I clearly do not wish to have a flyer shoved into my face?" Mulan scowled once more at the monotonously loud callings of the clubs heckling the passersby.

Phillip's perfect teeth glinted in the sun as he flashed his flawless smile and clapped a hearty hand to her back.

"Ah, don't be such a Debbie Downer so early in the year! They're just trying to grab whatever new members that they can and boy," he stopped to look at a group of girls walk past, "there sure are certainly loads of people to pick from."

Mulan slapped him on the back of his head jokingly.

"Pull your mind out of your pants and have some decency!"

"What? I'm a smart, athletic star on the soccer team with devilishly good looks, a dashingly sensitive personality, and not a single soul to share them with. I'm telling you, this is the year that I meet my Juliet!"

At that last admission, Mulan cast him a deadpan look, "You do realize that they hardly knew each other and both end up dead in the end, right?"

"Alas, what true love it was!" Phillip clutched his chest in feigned sorrow before exploding out into boisterous laughter garnering several odd looks their way.

Mulan buried her face in her hands and shook her head in mock contempt, "Why am I even friends with you?"

"Mulan, your words cut deep."

"Not as deep as your stupidity."

"Again, your words cut deep."

Though he had grown much taller than her over the years, that didn't stop her from reaching up and wrapping her arms firmly around his neck in an attempt to strangle the living daylights out of him. Onlookers continued to shoot peculiar glances at the pair and their antics, and it was at that point that Mulan noticed the students from a nearby art club with bulging perturbed eyes. One girl with particularly soft red hair and strikingly crystal blue eyes was fighting to hold back her laughter at them causing Mulan to release her chokehold on her best friend.

Nudging him in the side, she whispered, "Can you act normal for once? Even the art kids are staring at us!"

"To be fair, you're the one who jumped me first," he muttered back before adjusting his backpack and continuing on. "Anyways, you should swing by the soccer field after school today and help me practice. I think I've been getting rather sloppy in my technique, so I could definitely use you to kick me into shape. You know, just like the old days."

Mulan smirked and started walking to her next class, "Just do not cry when I put your skills to shame."

"I don't cry!" he called after her retreating form.

* * *

The day had passed by painfully slow as Mulan counted down the hours and minutes until her last class of the day was over. Luckily their professor had let them out early due to it being the first day and all, but judging by the syllabus and the extremely hefty and outrageously priced textbook, she knew it was going to be one hell of a course. Her workload consisted heavily of bio-related classes due to the fact that her parents were attempting to steer her in the direction of a doctor or nurse, however she was mostly going through the motions and never quite had her heart in it. Sure she had the skills and potential to go into that field, however it was never really a burning desire of her's, but seeing as how her parents didn't view soccer as a viable option, she had no real other strong alternative to present to them.

Making her way across campus with her overly stuffed shoulder bag bumping across her hip with each step, it only took but a mere ten minutes to make it to the open field. It was all in all an impressive and expansive location, hosting not only the soccer field, but also a connected football field with surrounding track, as well as a baseball diamond, a gym, and an indoor swimming pool not too far away. The designated sports area had damn near everything that any physical fitness enthusiast could dream of, and the students were certainly making the most of it. Hordes of people were running around on all the fields, whether they were independently training or practicing in groups. The seasons hadn't quite started for some of them, so they were still prepping themselves for the upcoming annual evaluation of their prowess and abilities. Regardless of who you were, the coaches tended to do these tests in order to make sure that their top athletes were still in the prime of their game, and it determined who was going to be starting and who would be warming the benches; it was indeed a nerve-racking, crucial time for all.

Phillip waved at Mulan as he juggled a ball with his feet and thighs with expert precision not once missing a beat nor having his cheeky boyish grin leave his face. As she came closer, he stopped the ball beneath his foot and wiped the beads of sweat from his brow.

"Was wondering when you would swing by. I almost grew a full beard waiting for you!"

He rubbed at the light stubble that was gracing the lower half of his nicely defined cheekbones and moderately strong jaw. If she didn't see him so much like a brother, she would go so far as to say he was handsomely attractive. Setting down her shoulder bag, Mulan removed her cotton maroon hoodie revealing her toned arms sculpted through years of exercise and constant practice.

Before she had gone to the field, she had thought it prudent to relieve herself of casual clothing and had changed into a comfortable crimson tank top with black shorts that stopped around mid-thigh level allowing others visual access to her utterly divine legs. She bent down into a crouching stance with her right leg outstretched and her body low, almost akin to that of a stalking leopard ready to pounce on its prey, her muscles loosening up and flexing in the cool afternoon air. Phillip grabbed a couple of books out of his bag and set them up as rickety little goal posts on opposite sides, and though the makeshift field could barely be considered a quarter of the size of a real soccer field, neither of them paid it any mind. They were used to playing soccer anywhere at anytime whether it be a sectioned off plot of shrubs or a back alley of a small neighborhood, so even grass was considered a luxury to them.

After lacing up her cleats, she rolled her head around and cracked her neck for extra intimidation purposes.

"First to five?" she asked, her competitive nature kicking in.

"If I win, you owe me a favor that I can use at any time, deal?" Phillip always wagered for a favor, however much like sand, it always slips from his grasp.

"And if I win, you owe me a favor, no questions asked," typically Mulan never wagered for anything too big, but she figured this time, why not? She had already won a multitude of free meals and drinks out of the guy so perhaps it was time to make things exciting and unpredictable for once. Phillip's eyebrow quirked up curiously, but he merely nodded and started making his way towards her in a slow, calculated pace. They both knew each other's style so it would be hard to best one another, but he was also aware that what he lacked in speed and power, he made up for in exceptional ball control.

With Mulan less than five feet away, her legs sprung into action.

Leaping at him with alarming speed, she swiftly swung her leg inwards in an attempt to wrestle the ball from his grasp, however Phillip deftly feinted left before darting to his right, successfully duping her into missing the soccerball. He sprinted to the makeshift goal and as he reared back his leg to seal the point, he felt the rush of air as a dark red and black blur slid beneath him and kicked the ball to the sidelines, nicking him in the calf and taking him by surprise to knock him off balance. Stumbling about for a couple of awkward, lumbering steps, he then crashed down and faceplanted into the fresh grass harshly resulting in an unflattering streak of muddy green to tarnish his cheek. Chancing a look up, he was met with none other than the smug grin of his raven-haired friend and he promptly picked himself up.

Poking her in the chest, his voice was a low rumble as he whispered dangerously, "Oh it's on."

The glint in his eye, and perhaps the freshly green streak on his face, proved how serious he was as he made a bee-line towards the ball, however Mulan had sprung into action before he had and nabbed the ball before he could barely blink. Kicking the ball backwards, she gracefully spun 180 degrees and bolted towards the goal, though unlike Phillip, she didn't hesitate nor wait to get closer and instead gave a powerful kick ending up with the ball soaring true. It undoubtedly passed through the two books cleanly and she cast him a sideward glance.

"Looks like you'll be owing me a favor in no time. And I thought you were the one who was here on scholarship?"

Phillip's eyes narrowed aggressively, the competitive ire burning in his hazel orbs, "You'll be eating your words soon enough."

He himself was often the jokester of the two, but he also did not enjoy losing, and though he typically did not win most of his bets against Mulan, it still hurt nonetheless every time.

The two went at it for some time, with neither giving any leeway nor showing signs of relenting. Back and forth like a game of chess-like tug-o-war, the ball would end up on one end of the field only to find itself back to the other with both Phillip and Mulan outdoing each other with each successive move. It was quite an impressive sight, so much so that their little tiny scrimmage started to amass quite the group of entranced onlookers. Some were just passing by and became enthralled by the showmanship of both athletes, while others merely stayed for the players themselves who, in their own right, were both pleasing to look at if you disregarded the game altogether. Mulan blinked hard, the salty sting of perspiration hindering her eyes as she concentrated on the game that had started so innocently and yet wound up turning into a full-blown deathmatch. They were neck and neck, with Mulan currently sitting at a nice four points and Phillip at three, however she didn't want to offer any reprieve lest he attempt to pull a come from behind victory.

He currently had the ball resting safely within reach in front of him as he squared off with her in the middle of their homemade soccer field. Nodding in the direction of the small crowd, he grinned, "Quite a turnout. I reckon we've got a rather infatuated group of fans now, yeah?"

In a moment of carelessness, Mulan chanced a glance over to her right and was actually a tad shocked. There were at least fifteen strangers watching on, however in spite of the momentary well-placed distraction, in the corner of her eye Phillip's lightning quick movements were not lost on her razor sharp reflexes. In a bold and probably desperate attempt, Phillip made a breakaway to his right in order to go behind Mulan's back, however when he realized that she noticed this, he opted to aim for a goal and hope to God his aim was true. Once again rearing back his leg for a powerhouse kick, he thrust his foot forward to put as much strength behind the shot as he could muster, but Mulan was already there to intercept. The ball barely made it a couple of feet before she leapt through the air and rightly knocked the ball out of bounds with a well-placed kick towards the crowd of spectators. They all screamed and one man yelled "heads up!" however not all had the reactions that highly trained athletes did, and so with a sickening _smack_ it connected squarely into the face of one poor unfortunate soul.

Mulan was still on the ground sitting pretty proudly with herself after such a kick, but the buzzed chatter on the side and Phillip jogging off made her realize that something was amiss. Looking to where the mass of people was, she saw everyone huddled around something and a feeling of dread took hold of her stomach.

Hoisting herself up off the grass, she dusted her clothes off as best she could as she made her way over to where everyone was gathered. Most of the spectators were dispersing now that the game was seemingly over, save two girls who were busying themselves with the one who had been knocked unfortunately in the face. Phillip was hovering nearby the trio who were on the ground while rubbing his neck in an embarrassing fashion as Mulan approached.

"Man, you have great aim. It hit her directly in the face. Not even hit her in the cheek or something. Seriously, you just smacked her dead center."

Heaving a weighty sigh, Mulan kneeled down and spoke with the other two girls who she assumed were the injured person's friend.

"I am incredibly sorry, it was certainly not my intention for this to happen. Is your friend alright?"

The blonde girl who was sitting on the ground had the victim's head lying tenderly in her lap as she slowly regained her bearings after clearly seeing stars from such a collision. Surveying the situation, Mulan noticed there were pencils of various shades of grey scattered around like bullets in a crime scene and an open notebook lying face up and open for the world to see. She couldn't help but peek at the drawings and noticed that they were all very sketchy outlines of what looked like fast doodles. Though they were nothing but mere scribbles and chicken scratch to her, they were drawn with deliberate strokes and showed signs of meticulous attention to detail, and they resembled a soccer player in motion.

"Hey, Aurora, wake up. It's Emma, can you hear me?"

The blonde slowly patted the girl's cheeks, and it was then that Mulan flinched visibly as she recalled that it was the same girl with the brilliant chestnut-colored hair who was at the art booth earlier that day who had witnessed her and Phillip's rowdy shenanigans. Up close, not only was her hair a billowing cascade of stunning auburn perfection, her smooth, porcelain white complexion in all of its never ending flawlessness made Mulan's heart skip a beat.

She had essentially smashed a soccer ball straight into the face of a goddess.


End file.
